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Gaza Crisis Response

Gaza Crisis Response

100% of your donation goes to our specific Gaza response fund, providing vital and practical support such as safe water.

Thousands of lives have been destroyed with almost the entire population of Gaza affected by the recent period of conflict. Homes have turned to rubble, livelihoods are lost and vital infrastructure like water systems, sanitation and health clinics are badly damaged.

Civilians in Gaza have borne the brunt of the recent period of violence there, and account for the vast majority of casualties. Over 2,000 people have been killed and more than 10,000 injured.

At least 1,000 children have been left with permanent disabilities and 373,000 require psychosocial support.

Around 17,200 homes (where approximately 103,000 people lived) have been completely destroyed or severely damaged to the point of being uninhabitable.

More than a quarter of the population have fled their homes and are living in dire conditions, sheltering in overcrowded schools and other buildings. People have been prevented from fleeing somewhere safe outside Gaza because of the Israeli blockade, in place since 2007.

Bombing has destroyed essential infrastructure, including water and sewage systems, health clinics, and Gaza's only power plant. The lack of power means most people are getting between 2 and 6 hours of electricity a day, putting huge strain on water pumps, hospitals and other vital services.

Hundreds of thousands of people remain without running water and many residential areas also face severe water shortages. In Shuijaya – one of the most heavily bombed areas – many people are currently getting water for 1-2 hours every other day.

22 schools have been completely destroyed and 216 have been damaged.

In Gaza many health facilities have been damaged, including 15 hospitals, 16 clinics, 1 care facility for the disabled and 22 ambulances.

However, despite continued violence and rising causalities, the Oxfam-supported Al Awda Hospital continues to deliver babies.

When Abeer Al Madhoun went into labour, she travelled to Al Awda Hospital, fearing for her life but determined to protect her unborn child.

Abeer says: "I was so scared to be targeted on my way to the hospital. During the delivery I heard bombs falling around the hospital. I was scared that my baby would be hurt.”

With the help of doctors and nurses at Al Awda, the only hospital in north Gaza with a special obstetric unit for pregnant women, Abeer gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

“I'm thankful to the medical teams who are doing everything possible despite the danger surrounding them. My happiness is mixed with fear and sad feelings for the children who have lost their lives."

We have supported medical services (through support to a hospital, health centres and mobile clinics) for about 42,000 people

We have distributed hygiene kits to 1,950 people

We are calling on both sides to agree a lasting ceasefire, an end to the blockade of Gaza - which constitutes collective punishment of Gaza's entire civilian population - and to reach a durable peace agreement for Israelis and Palestinians that addresses the underlying causes of the conflict.

Food

Since the bombing started, many shops and factories have closed and people are scared to go out. Some shops, however, have managed to stay open. Oxfam provides food vouchers to hundreds of families who have been forced to flee their homes – so that they can buy food to eat as well as support local businesses and trade.

Healthcare

At least 85 percent of casualties are civilians, and hundreds of children have been injured or killed. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the huge demand for healthcare services. Oxfam and our partners support a local hospital and health centres as well as mobile clinics to provide primary healthcare.

Livelihoods

Dozens of fishing boats and more than 1,000 nets have been destroyed. Thousands of farmers have lost large amounts of land and produce – something that will take a long time to recover from. Oxfam works with farmers and fishermen who are prevented from accessing their livelihoods. We also help local producers improve the quality of their produce and get it to market.

Sanitation

Numerous water systems and wells have been badly damaged in the airstrikes. 1.5 million people need life-saving water right now. Sewage plants have also been damaged, with millions of litres of raw sewage spilling into streets, farms and the sea, increasing the threat of disease. Oxfam teams supply safe water and sanitation and run public health campaigns to reduce the risk of illness.

A new report by Oxfam and other aid agencies including ActionAid, Christian Aid and Save the Children found that not a single one of the 19,000 destroyed homes has yet been rebuilt and promises of lasting political change have not materialised.